What's the typical way we plan things, or estimate how long it will take to do something?
In the Western linear view of time, minute and hour lines on watches are equally spaced. Every box on the month's calendar is the same size; each day usually has the same size box; every hour on the to-do list has the same size space next to it, symbolizing that each hour is seen to be equally valuable, having equal though limited possibility. So the work we can accomplish in each hour seems to be limited by the structure of time itself. To estimate how much time we'll need to finish something, we guess how many of the conveyor's containers the activity will fill up. The inflexible, aspect of this estimation process is related to the perceived fixed and 'real' capacity of units of linear time.
Let's say I've got two days to get something done. I work on it for a day, and I realize I've got one day left. Half the time's gone. How much have I done? I look back and realize that I've done one-third of the job. Using the typical way of estimating, my conclusion is that if I continue working at the same rate, I'll get two-thirds of it done by the deadline. So what are my options within that view? Maybe I need to speed up somehow. Or do a sloppy job. Or bargain to push the deadline ahead. Or get some help.
It really limits our options to be locked into the linear view. We have assumed that clock time predictions within the linear view are reasonable and predictive of the future, and that they present the only possibilities. We have ignored the fact that we are most productive within a timeless view (See Linear vs. Timeless Views, and the discussion of our "Experience of time" in both 'deadline scenarios' and peak performance in "The Qualities of Deadline Pressure Scenarios"), which still includes clock time's measurements, yet makes quantum jumps in productivity possible.
But contrary to this linear view, we all know times when we had to get something done and thought it was impossible. We let go of our reasonable time estimates and judgments that we couldn't get it done and went for it, putting all our attention on the task and working without worrying about how many containers we seemed to have left! The idea that work is overwhelming or impossible belongs only to the linear view. By letting go of the linear view of time with its built-in limits on productivity we can get more done than seems reasonable or predictable.
There's an alternative to a linear way of viewing future goals.
It's not suggested that you stop thinking about or visualizing the future, nor to give up your goal orientation. Images and concepts of time (such as estimates of clock time) are not incompatible with fulfillment and well-being. We can simply loosen up any kind of rigid attention on a separate future, any kind of tight positioning with regard to a goal that seems to be off in the distance.
In the typical 'pressure perspective' we occupy a point in time we call 'the present', and we look from this point to a somewhat distant segment of time called 'the future', which contains the deadline that is relentlessly closing in on us here in the present with a speed that seems unchangeable. In other words, "First we pick out a point situated 'up ahead' in time, then we measure the distance to that point, then we react to this situated point." (p. 93, Dynamics of Time and Space)
There are other possible ways to relate to the future. Here is an excerpt from Results in No Time that discusses this issue:
"Tony, I'm still not clear on my question about how I can think about goals without getting involved in linear time."
"You can see a goal without seeking, without pursuing a goal in linear time."
"I don't get it."
"The thing is, thinking about goals is not a problem--but thinking about goals in linear time can be a problem."
"So what's most important is how we're goal-oriented, and not whether we have goals?" asked Michael.
"Yes. Let's clarify how we usually visualize goals. We are on what might be thought of as a conveyor belt of time. The conveyor passes through three rooms: past, present, and future. We're always in the present room--we take that for granted. We can't go into the future room. There's some kind of unknown divider between the present and future rooms, and the divider has a hazy window in it. Even though we can't go into the future room, we can look into it through the window."
"I'm familiar with this."
"We seek our goals in the future room. Seeking is a built-in part of the linear view. This planning is similar to peering through the hazy window to see how the fuzzy future forms might shape up. We then get an idea of what's 'coming down the pike' toward us on the conveyor."
"That sounds familiar, too."
"The whole picture I've painted of this linear time perspective is troublesome if we're convinced of its reality," said Tony. "But none of this is 'real'. We don't need to pursue goals within linear time. We can work with goals in a timeless way."
"How?" asked Michael.
"Well, first let me paint a picture of how it could be; then we can do an exercise that's very useful in allowing the ideal picture to show up."
"Ok." Michael leaned back in his chair.
"It could be that there is only one space, not three spaces--past, present, and future--divided by unknown walls. This one space might be completely undivided, with all of time--past, present, and future--right 'here'. Since nothing is outside this space, everything you could want is here. Since the space is undivided, nothing is separate from you. Nothing in the space is cut off from anything else. Present is not cut off from future; past is not cut off from present. It doesn't feel like time is flowing any more, because all of time is right here. Past memories are here and the open possibilities of the future are here."
Tony continued: "Now suppose you want something, or you have a goal. The goal is seen as a kind of shimmering hologram close at hand. It doesn't feel like you are deficient or you lack something and need to seek somewhere or somewhen else to get it, because everything is right here in the same space. You aren't seduced by imagining that getting something outside will bring greater satisfaction, because there isn't any 'outside'. So you can make progress toward your goal with equanimity, without being motivated by aversion or hope. On the circle of life, this virtue for dimension #3 is called nondirected goal awareness."
"So you change the way you relate to a goal," said Michael. "There is still an image of the goal you would like to realize, but the goal doesn't feel temporally separate from you, off in a future room. There is a goal, but no pursuing a goal."
"Yes. So then the question is 'How do we 'get from' the linear view to the completely open space? One way is to turn the linear perspective around. We take the characteristic orientation of planning, where we look from the present room toward the future, and reverse it--we look from the future room back towards the present and past. The idea is that by reversing the habitual view of time, we can loosen the energy that's fixed in it and gradually dissolve the seeking tendency. Eventually I think one could completely dissolve all the limitations of the linear view."
"I'm afraid our lunch time is over though."
Tony opened a drawer. "Well, here. You can take this writeup with you. It gives a pretty good explanation of how to do the exercise. And you can call me if you have any questions."
"Ok. I'll give it a try. Thanks, Tony."
"You're quite welcome. And thank you, Michael. Give me a call if you have any questions about the exercise." (p. 105-9, Results in No Time)
Note: If you have questions or comments about these materials or exercises, feel free to send email to or call Steve Randall at 510-690-0490.
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